Wheel-rim equalizing and truing machine.



a. A. ENSIGN. WHEEL RIM EQUALIZING AND TRUING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2. 1912.

v Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES.

G. A; BNSIGN. WHEEL RIM EQUALIZING AND TBUING mourn.

APPLIOATION FILED APR. 2. 1912 Patented Sept. 1 7, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

HIIH INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS G. A. ENSIGN. WHEEL RIM EQUALIZING ANDTRUING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED R12. 1912.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 izl--- n N u Q Q ATTORNEYS I WITNESSES ZaQ/a/M/ 4 2a G.A. ENSIGN.

WHEEL RIM 'EQUALIZING AND T-RUING MACHINE.

APPLICATION TILED APR. 2. 1912. 1,038,544.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

4 SHEETS-:QHEBT 4.

WITNESSES INVEHTOR fear e/Zl'fis 22 \i W 'f ATTORNEYS UNITED STATESOFFICE.

GEORGE A. ENSIGN, 0F DEFIANCB. OHIO. ASSIGNOR T0 DEFIANCE MACHINE WORKS,OF DEFIANCE, OHIO.

WHEEL-RIM EQUALIZIN G AND TBUING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters IPatent.

Patented Sept. 17, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. GEORGE A. EXSIGX, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Defiance. in the county of Defiance and State of Ohio.have invented a new and Improved Wheel-Rim Equalizing and'l'rningMachine. of which the following is a full. clear. and exact description.

The invention relates to woodworking machines. and its object is toprovide a new and improved wheel rim equalizing and truing machine. moreespecially designed for reducing half rims or fellies to circular shapeand accurately cutting off the ends of the half rims or fellies toproduce half rims or fellies of true semicircular shape, thuseliminating subsequentsawing of the joint when placing the rims on thespokes.

For the purpose mentioned use is made of a pair of circular saws andtruing or gaging means for bending the half rim so that the latter aumescircular shape, the said truing means and the said saws having movementone relative to the other so that the saws cut off the ends of the halfrim while the latter is held in trued position by the said truing orgaging means to produce a half rim of true semicircular shape.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings forming a art of this specification, in whichsimilar 0 aracters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the wheel rim equalizing and truingmachine arranged to shape two superimposed half rims at the same time;Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, part of the upper half rim beingshown in section; Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section of the same on theline 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional side elevation of part of thesawing mechanism, the section being on the line 44 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 isa plan view of the centering device, the pressure blocks and the meansfor imparting movement thereto; Fig. 6 is an enlarged central sideelevation of the centering device: and Fig. 7 is a face view of the pinarm of the centerin device.

In the manufacture 0 wheels having twoart rims or fellies, each rim partafter bemg bent and rovided with spoke holes is usually not 0? a truesemicircular shape, that is, the curvature is not circular and the endsare usually extended beyond a half circle and have to .be cut off priorto plac ing the rim parts in position on the spokes. In the machinepresently to be described in detail, one, two or more half rims orfellies are centered on the table of a carriage and are then subjectedto pressure with a view to bend the half rims into true circular shapeand to hold the half rims in the centered and trued position whilecutting off the ends of the half rims in a diametrical line to produce atrue semi-circular rim, the cutting off of the ends being from the innerface of the half rim in an outward direction so that a smooth out is hadon the inner face and the sides of the rim while any bur that may be onthe peripheral face is of little or no consequence as the saidperipheral face is subsequently covered by a metal tire.

The machine is moimted on a suitablyconstructed frame A supportingtransversely-extending bars B, B, provided with brackets B supportingrails B forming a track for the wheel C of a carriage C to run on,either to the right or to the left, the movement in either directionbeing limited by stops B secured on the ends of one of the rails B. Thecarriage C is provided with a level top or a table C on which is placedhalf rims D, or on top of this half rim may be placed another half rimto permit of treating both half rims simultaneously, with a view to givethe same a true semicircular shape, as hereinafter more fully ex lained.

The inner aces of the two superimposed half rims D rest againstabutments E arranged in a circle, and the outer or peripheral faces ofthe said superimposed half rims D are adapted to be engaged by pressureblocks F mounted to slide on suitable ideways C arranged on the carriagethe said pressure blocks F serving to bend the half rims D on theabutments E to true circular shape and to hold the half rims in thisposition while cutting oil the ends in a diametrical line by the use oftwo circular saws, G, G disposed within the openings of the half rims sothat on shifting the carriage C to the ri ht the saw G cuts cfi theleft-hand ends of the half rims 1) and on shifting the carriage C to theleft the circular saw G cuts ofi the right-hand ends of the superimposedhalf rims D, it being understood that the circular saws G and G are dis'osed in a vertical; plane passing dismet rically throughithe'rhalf rims1). Each of setting E is rovidedjyith a. E iiountcd to ain a Hgdthe'bean H fastened bolts "IF-to the e so urns to more" w th theseine, the sever been i hein arranged radially as lamly in 'cated-in Hg.. 2. A nut E? is hed in..; in each bearing screw rod E sothat whenthe'ntit E 1;; turned"; n otemept-jis given to the screw rod E- tojmovethe"corr'esponding abutment'E outward or-inward accord to the directionin which the n trE 1s turned. The screw rod E ijs-provi ed w th so a lotndinaHy-extending key-why E en-J gii i 'a Y a keYE heId in thecorresponding caring and'over th to the top of the bearing- -H'and enging 28 with its other end one ofa series'oi notches A FE formed in therigheral face of the nut.

E tonormally: ho d 't enut Iockefd against turning. Ibis understood thatwhenthe sbiitment- E is to be adjusted the arm E is so removed to permitof turning the nut E tor adjusting the abutmentrinwsrd or out-ward a."before explained, and when the desired adjustment is reached the arm Eis re laced to; lock the not ngsinst turnin -and a so to .35 hold thekey E a inst acci entai disco;

gegement from the ring andthe keyws; E. 7 7

he pressureblocks Fore moved simultaneously inw nrd or outwardfund forthis '40 glur ose'the foiiowinqrrangement is made:

tic press'nreblock is' vided-s'titsbob' tom with'on integrnl nutfi 'tsee3) in which screwsa serewjrod I mounted to turn in suitable hearings onthe carria eC, and on the inner end of each'screw we ".is secured abore! gear wheel-I, vand the sere'rsl' bevel gear wheels If are in meshone with the other, as plainly indicatedin-Figfi, ,so' that when one ofthe screw I is turned the several screwrodsl turn in unison and in doingso movethe pressnre blocks F inwardoi outward simultaneouslyondaccording to the direchon which thescrew-rods I are turned; One of thescrew rods I is pro '66 vided-et its outer 'endwith'e hand wheel Iuiider the control of the'operetorifor turn ing the screw rod so as tomove the blocks simultaneously inward or outward."

Ihecircular'sews G andG are mounted on s indies or ,arbors'G.,' G; ofwhich the s in Ie' G is j ourneled in suitable bearings rovlded with abracket J fastened by be is J"-to one end of the seferel abutmenls'aramounted in-u plate 7 I I and the outer end of mid 'screws'on the r esaid key Efextends' a. plate E fastened at one ,end byc'holt E bracketsJ i1 slide K inounted-to' 11616 transverselya i i d y A! rims placed onthe [table C ranged'ontop of the mime A. The spindle meme-1y oftlongitudinell ami mounted o 3 11' 1 18 left-hand en 16f the-slideKisce-F;

v escrow mod provided with a. hand wheel under control of the operatorto the letter to turn the-screw rod-L s waxy-to move the bracket I1 ina. long t rd nel direeq tion and with it the circular1 1M141 G :tgon1ovethe-latter nesrer to or farther froni the cirr cular saw G' according.tQ-" I;} &1fg}' smoller diameters of the half D m-the machine.etthe'tiine. s i H In order to more the circu ijnr sawsjG, G i" forwardor backward-in order tg- I 4 ete -the circular saw-in: ii vx ertice ithrough the center of'the rimsDcnd r treatment the; following.arrangement; 15- made, special reference hein'g'had to F13 3:transversescrew rod N-is n ounte 0- tnrn in a hen 'K formingNpsrtof-thew sIideKsnd the'said screw rod s nut 'N attached to the'fmme'A,'nd ,onzthe rear end of the screw irodv N isIsecured a hand wheel' Nedagted vtoabe ;.ti 1rned'.-hy the v operator to'turn t 'e 'screwqod li'WIQIFQ View to screw thefsame forwerdgor l'nickg, wardin the nut N andthus imgertge trans- Verse sliding inotionto the slidb'KtQHd-ih? and Lvsupporting the spi nd 1es sired adjustment has'been. made.

K screwing in. the 'ni ain frame F Qere screwed up legeinst the undersideiof flie slide K to lock :the' latter g osition on' thejtop of themein irsmecis he saw spindle G is prov idedinterinedizite' the bearingsJ wi h"; .pflHey. -O-

w c 'p s t bel iQ co ii et 'c ii fih it? l i h n yfor part ng; rfine-51,10- mot-ion c) .the s: ,rid' belt 0', and the tte'r also passesaround a pulley 0 secured bi; the saw -spind1e G, v and the heitO' 150passes grounde ide-puIl,ey': O- on eshoftf portion of the bracket lay-esen-anger lnent; described a simultaneous rotary lilo-' tion isgiven toboth'circular sefis't-QiG' when the machineis runnin and .9. truck illEmotion is given to thebe flO'igf order to ensble'the operator tolquicklyand accurately centerthe half trims'D-onthe tabl'e C ofthecerriage C,use i's-madofo Y centering device P,-shown in Fig'sifll, 2, 5, 6 and 7.The centering device Pcon'sistsjessenticlly of an arm-P" carrying one"or more pzns P accordin .to the nuinber of half I atithe time, e wee em19f each pin P heingzada n' the adjusted- 10$ of raising orlowerinfiathe pins 1? according r ting rim D (see Fig. 2). Each pin P isrovided with a bolt P vertically adjustab e in a vertical slot P on thearm P to mil:

a bot Q extend- !ened m lace thereon s10? Q8 orme in ough an elongabracket Q, the bolt screwing in one of a series ofa ertures 0 formed inthe topjof the table and arranged in a radial ne,

' the center of which coincides with the center of the half rims D.

Q the bracket Q can of setting the bearing P so as toenge e the correswithja spoke" ole D to ho On loosening the bolt be adjusted to permitand the-arm P mg P the arm can be swung toward or from the peripheralface of the half rim D to' A 1 e pin P with a spoke hole or disagethe'same therefrom for removal of alf from the machine or for re acinganother half rim on the machine. y mounting the bracket Q adjustably onthe table C the centering device can be located in such a manner astoengage rims of larger or smaller diameters.

he operation is as follows: In using the machine, the pressure blocks Faremoved outward to allow of conveniently placing a halfrim D or two ormore superimposed half rims on the table C so that the inner faces ofthe" half rims abut against the abutments E, andthe half rims are turnedaround 'until the pins P can enga e the corresponding spoke .holes D tohold the rims 1n centered position on the table 0. hand wheel I so as tomove the pressure blocks F inward to bend the half rims to true circularform on the abutments E. The operator now shifts the carriage C to theleft so. that the circular saw G cuts oil the righthand ends from thehalf rims D and then the carriage C is shifted to the right so that thecircular saw. G cuts oil, the left-hand ends of,

the half rims D, and as the circular saws G and G are arranged in avertical plane diametrically of the half rims D it 1s evident that thelatter are reduced to true semicircular shape. The movement of thecarriage C to the right is continued until the half rims D are clear ofthe saws, and then the operator disengages the pins P from the on thetableC' and ad'ustably as-- onding pin P (1 the rim D incenteredosition, prior to moving the reschine The operator now turns the.

half rims D and turns the hand wheel I in the reverse direction so as tomovethe pressure blocks F outwardly out of engagement withtthe half rimsD. The latter are now removed from the table 0 and then an-- other halfrim or two or more superimposed half rims are placed on the table 0andthe carriage is returned to former. position, after which the halfrims are centered on the abutments E and the pressure blocks F 'aremoved inward to bend the half rims to circu lar shape, and thenthecarriage is shifted first to the left and then to the right for the sawsG and G to cut oil the ends of the said halfrims as before explained.

a From the foregoing it will be Eeenthat by the arrangement described ahen ing or t ruing means is rovided for bending half rims so that theutter assume a true circular form, and then the equalizing means areemployed forcutting oil the ends of theohalf rims to reduce a half rimof true circular shape, ms eliminating subs uent sawing of the. jointswhen placing the alt rims on the spokes of the wheel.

Having-thusdescribed my mvention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent:

1. A wheel rim equalizing and truing machine, comprising a pair ofcircular saws arranged in the same plane, a carria e mounted to travelsidewise in front of t c said vsaws, truing means mounted on the saidcarriage for bending a wheel rim to a true circle and holding it in thistrued position while movin the said carriage sidewise to cut oil the ens of the rim by the said located diametrically within the opening of therim tocut of the.

saws the latter being ends from the inside of the rim to the outsidethereof. v

2. A wheel rim equalizing and truing macomprising a carriage mounted toa centering device on the carria travel, for centering the wheel rim,truin means mounted on the carriage for ben ing the wheel rim to a truecircle, and sawing means intermediate the ends of the wheel rim forcutting oil the ends while the wheel rim is held in centered and truedposition.

3. A wheel rim equalizing and truing machine, comprising a travelingcarriage,

abutments arranged in a circle for the inner face 'of a wheel run toabut against pressure devices movable on the carriage and ada ted inengagethe peripheral face of the w eel rim to bend the latter and causeit to assiune a circular form, a air of saws arranged intermediate theend of the wheel rim and located in a plane diametrically relative tothe wheel rim to reduce the wheel rim to true semicircular form, headstocks ca mg the said saws, one of the head stoc hem adjustable towardand from the other hes stocln-a support-*iirrying the said head chine,comprising a traveling carriage, 'abutments-arranged in a circle for them'ner face of a wheel rim to abut against,- pressure stock, andmanually-controlled means for adjusting the support transversely.-

' 4. A wheel equalizing and truing madevices movable onf the carriage'and.'ada ted to engage the peripheral face 'of thew eel rim to'bend thelatter and cause it to assume a circular form, a air of saws arrangedintermediate the en s of the wheel rim and located in aplanediametrically relative to t-he wheel rim to reduce the wheel rim totrue semicircular form, head-stocks carlyjiig the said saws, a slidehaving .long'itu guideways on which one of the said head stocks islongitudinally adjustable, and the other head-stock is fixed, anda'support on which the said slide is mounted to slide transversely 5. Awheel rim equalizing and t'ruing machine; comprisinga pair of circularsaws arranged in the same plane,. a carriage mounted ,to travel sidewisein front of the said saws,truing means mounted on the said carriage forbending a wheel rim to true circular shape and holdi'n' it in this trued-position while moving't o said carriage sidewise to cut oii the ends ofthe rim'by the saidsaws, the latter being located diametricallywithinthe opening of the rim to cut ofl the ends from the inside of the rim tothe outside jthereof, manually-controlled means for adjusting one saw.toward or from the other, and-.manually-cpntrolled means .foradjustingthe saws toward or from the said truing means 6. A wheel rimequa 'g andtrumg machine, comprising a carnageihavmg a table for a wheel rim torest ;on,' ab'utments, ar-

ranged in a circle and, adapted to engage 'the inner face of thewheel'rim, hearings on blocks to move the same in unison, a centeringdevice mounted on the said table and having an adjustable arm providedwith a pin adapted to engage one of the spoke holes of the wheelrim, andsawin means for sawing off the ends of the wheel rim to reduce thelatter to true semicircular form.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.-

GEORGE A. ENSIGN. Witnesses: j

, R. CAREYMAY,

. C. G. Hermann,

Copicl of this patent may be obtainedtor five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatents- Washington, D. C. v I

